U.S. Navy Awards Production Contract For 180-Foot Marauder Autonomous Ship

Saronic Technologies has won a US Navy production contract for its 180-foot Marauder autonomous ship after the vessel completed more than 140 test scenarios during eight days of continuous operations.

The firm-fixed-price Other Transaction (OT) award was made under 10 U.S.C. § 4022(f) through the Navy’s Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel (MUSV) Marketplace.

The MUSV Marketplace was set up to help the Navy get unmanned surface vessels into service faster. It uses mature, commercially ready technology instead of the traditional multi-year programme-of-record process.

Marauder completed the Navy’s evaluation without a failure. The vessel operated 24 hours a day for eight days during the tests.

The testing included tracking and manoeuvring around different vessels without human control. Marauder also had to detect, track and follow other vessels using only its passive onboard sensors.

It could not use active radar during these passive-perception tests.

Saronic said these tests are among the harder technical challenges for autonomous vessels. The company also said all the tests were carried out using the same Marauder that is now covered by the Navy’s production contract.

The Navy selected Saronic in June 2026 as one of seven companies to move Marauder to the at-sea testing stage under the MUSV Marketplace. The latest contract comes after those tests were completed.

Dino Mavrookas, CEO and co-founder of Saronic, said the company had now flipped its third Marauder hull. Several more were moving through the production line.

He said the company developed the vessel’s autonomy, software, hardware and production process together. According to Mavrookas, this helped Saronic build the vessels at a faster pace.

Saronic has also opened a site at the Port of Gulfport in Mississippi for Marauder testing.

The site will be used to test and commission the 180-foot autonomous ships after they leave production and before final delivery. The facility covers more than 30,000 square feet. It includes port access, office space and warehouse space.

Saronic’s local team includes Mission Operations and Commissioning specialists. Their job is to carry out final tests and on-water trials for each Marauder.

The first Marauder arrived in Gulfport in mid-July and is already being tested.

The company said the vessel has completed hundreds of hours of testing since arriving. The trials have been running for more than 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

More Marauder vessels are being built at Saronic’s shipyard in Franklin, Louisiana. They will be sent to Gulfport for testing as production increases.

References: tectonicdefense, saronic